A Travel Price Comparison for China Kunming vs. Tiger Leaping Gorge for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Kunming or Tiger Leaping Gorge?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Kunming and Tiger Leaping Gorge. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Kunming or Tiger Leaping Gorge?

Kunming

Kunming, located in southern China, is the modern capital city of the Yunnan province. It is a transportation hub for visitors entering the region, and good transfer point to just about everywhere else in the province by train or bus. Within the city itself there are many things to see and do with a full range of parks and zoos, museums, temples, theatres, and scenic areas.

Tiger Leaping Gorge

One of the deepest gorges in the world, Tiger Leaping Gorge gets its name from legend, where a tiger used a great rock in the center of the gorge as a stepping stone to leap from one side to the other. It is surrounded by stunning mountain scenery on either side with the Yangtze River rushing down through its center. Visitors come to Tiger Leaping Gorge to hike and witness its natural beauty.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in China, and The Best Historical Tours in China.


Which place is cheaper, Tiger Leaping Gorge or Kunming?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Kunming is $68, while the average daily cost in Tiger Leaping Gorge is $42. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Kunming and Tiger Leaping Gorge in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Kunming $33
    Tiger Leaping Gorge $13
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Kunming $66
    Tiger Leaping Gorge $26
Compare Hotels in Kunming and Tiger Leaping Gorge

Looking for a hotel in Kunming or Tiger Leaping Gorge? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Kunming


Hotels in Tiger Leaping Gorge


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Kunming $13
    Tiger Leaping Gorge $17
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kunming

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Kunming:


  • Taxi Ride
    $1.53

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kunming

Also for Kunming, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Kunming Airport Private Transfer - Charge by Vehicle: $48
  • Kunming Changshui Airport Chauffeur Service, Kunming Airport Transfer, Pickup: $83
  • Kunming Private Arrival Transfer:Railway Station to City Hotel: $22
  • Kunming Private Departure Transfer:City Hotel to Railway Station: $22
  • One way Kunming airport to hotel private transfer: $41
  • Private Transfer from Kunming hotel to Guizhou Xingyi hotel: $240
  • [Airport Transfer] Kunming Changshui Airport ⇔ Kunming City Transfer ☆ High reputation for service! <Charter charter>: $36

Is it cheaper to fly into Kunming or Tiger Leaping Gorge?

Prices for flights to both Tiger Leaping Gorge and Kunming change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Kunming $23
    Tiger Leaping Gorge $16

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kunming

For Kunming, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Private Kunming Night Tour with Dinner: $78

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Kunming $18
    Tiger Leaping Gorge $15

Tours and Activities in Kunming

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Kunming.

  • One day tour to eastern coast region of Daichi Lake: $69
  • Half-Day History Tour in Kunming: $82
  • Private Night Tour to Enjoy Dynamic Yunnan Show: $86
  • Morning Market Tour - Eat like a local: $93
  • 1-Day Self-Guided Stone Forest Geological Park Tour from Kunming: $106
  • Stone Forest Day Tour: $106
  • Private Day Tour of Jiuxiang Cave from Yunnan: $109
  • One day Stone Forest and Nuohei Yi Village Tour: $114
  • 1- Day Kunming Short Hiking Tour: $122
  • Private Kunming Night Tour with Dynamic Yunnan Show: $125
  • Full Day Private Kunming Sedan Chair Snow Mountain Tour: $130
  • Night tour Cross-Bridge rice Noddles Shangrila-Dynamic Yunnan Show from Kunming : $136

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Kunming $17
    Tiger Leaping Gorge $6.40


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kunming and Tiger Leaping Gorge, we can see that Kunming is more expensive. And not only is Tiger Leaping Gorge much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Tiger Leaping Gorge would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Tiger Leaping Gorge and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Kunming would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kunming than you might in Tiger Leaping Gorge.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Kunming Expensive? and Is Tiger Leaping Gorge Expensive?.